nly　one　red　rose！

Is　there　no　way　by　which　I　can　get　it？〃

〃There　is　away；〃　answered　the　Tree；　〃but　it　is　so　terrible　that　I　dare　not

tell　it　to　you。〃

〃Tell　it　to　me；〃　said　the　Nightingale；　〃I　am　not　afraid。〃

〃If　you　want　a　red　rose；〃　said　the　Tree；　〃you　must　build　it　out　of　music

by　moonlight；　and　stain　it　with　your　own　heart's…blood。　You　must　sing　to

me　with　your　breast　against　a　thorn。　All　night　long　you　must　sing　to　me；

and　the　thorn　must　pierce　your　heart；　and　your　life…blood　must　flow　into

my　veins；　and　bee　mine。〃

〃Death　is　a　great　price　to　pay　for　a　red　rose；〃　cried　the　Nightingale；

〃and　Life　is　very　dear　to　all。　It　is　pleasant　to　sit　in　the　green　wood；　and　to

14

The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

watch　the　Sun　in　his　chariot　of　gold；　and　the　Moon　in　her　chariot　of　pearl。

Sweet　is　the　scent　of　the　hawthorn；　and　sweet　are　the　bluebells　that　hide　in

the　valley；　and　the　heather　that　blows　on　the　hill。　Yet　Love　is　better　than

Life；　and　what　is　the　heart　of　a　bird　pared　to　the　heart　of　a　man？〃

So　she　spread　her　brown　wings　for　flight；　and　soared　into　the　air。　She

swept　over　the　garden　like　a　shadow；　and　like　a　shadow　she　sailed　through

the　grove。

The　young　Student　was　still　lying　on　the　grass；　where　she　had　left　him；

and　the　tears　were　not　yet　dry　in　his　beautiful　eyes。

〃Be　happy；〃　cried　the　Nightingale；　〃be　happy；　you